March 2017 Newsletter

As we complete the first quarter of 2017, Traxion has a number of initiatives underway to support the startup community in Golden and greater Jefferson County.

Supporting Product Development and Go-to-Market Strategies

We are now working closely with two companies from our Fall 2016 cohort, Phoncert and Cobio, to prepare them to complete product development.

Phoncert has developed the technology platform for independent musicians to record and archive live performances, and provide subscription access for the artists’ fans.

Unlike most streaming services, the business model is heavily focused on providing musicians with an additional source of earnings.

Once the technology platform development is completed, the company will sign up a limited number of bands and subscribers to demonstrate proof-of-concept before seeking first round financing.

Cobio has licensed the patented technology from the School of Mines to rapidly detect antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The company’s first product will be the detection of MRSA in domesticated animals.

The initial work will be laboratory R&D and will then move on to pre-production. We believe the time frame to market is 15-18 months.

Partnering with Colorado School of Mines

We are also continuing to build our strategic partnership with the Colorado School of Mines, which is working to strengthen entrepreneurship in their curriculum and through additional programs. Three of the companies in the 2016 program have direct ties to Mines.

As part of this effort, Traxion is teaching a six-week course for the winning teams in the Newmont Challenge, a program funded by Newmont Mining Corporation that engages student teams to develop solutions to real industry problems in mineral mining and oil and gas.

We are using a condensed version of our accelerator curriculum to help the student teams refine their initial proposals and present in mid-April with the chance to win $25,000 that can be used to start a company.

In addition, Traxion is providing mentorship to a Senior Design Project team and other entrepreneurial efforts initiatives at Mines. We are highly energized by our ongoing collaboration with one of the world’s leading research institutions!

Calling All Startups!

We are now soliciting applications for the Fall 2017 program. If you know of any startup companies that might benefit by being part of an accelerator, please refer their founder to our website at traxion.co.

If you or someone you know is interested in supporting our growing startup community, or if you have any other questions, comments or suggestions, please email us at info@traxion.co or call 888-520-7776.